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Isobel Grey
Isobel Crawley is the widow of medical doctor Reginald Crawley, mother of her only son the late Matthew Crawley, the mother-in-law of Lady Mary Crawley, and grandmother of her only Grandson. She is well-educated, trained as a nurse and later became Chairman at the Downton Cottage Hospital, she comes from a middle-class background and she values in family and education. Biography Isobel Crawley is a daughter, sister, and wife of doctors, as her father, her brother and her late husband Reginald Crawley practiced medicine. Further contributing to her medical knowledge, she herself studied to be a nurse during the Boer War. Isobel and her only son Matthew both lived in a house in Manchester, England, where Matthew worked as a solicitor, until Matthew received a letter informing him that he was Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham's heir and title to the estate and wealth. She and Matthew both moved to Downton to start their new lives, where they now live in Crawley House with their new butler Molesley, their cook Mrs Bird and their housemaid who moved from Manchester with them. Isobel uses her nursing skills and later becomes Chairman at the Downton Cottage Hospital. Isobel embodies a different set of values to those of the Crawleys, and because of this is often in conflict with Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham, and Cora Crawley, Countess of Grantham. Isobel takes up a position of authority at Downton when it is turned into a convalescent homes for injured soldiers as co-person in charge alongside with Cora during the war. She and Cora clash about the daily running and management of Downton's convalescent home. As a result she leaves Downton for France to work with the Red Cross. She later returns when she discovers that Matthew was injured in the war, and she has stayed at Downton ever since. Isobel suggests to Violet and Cora that they keep Downton convalescent home open after the war to help the soldiers to rebuild their lives and recover, much to their dismay since both want life to return to normal as soon as possiable. Violet manages to convince Isobel that refugees left displaced and disadvantaged by the war need her help more than Downton. Shortly before Matthew and Lavinia's wedding, Lavinia shosd mild symptoms of Spanish flu, so because she will be feeling unwell for the next couple of weeks Isobel decides the wedding day will have to be delayed until everyone recovers from Spanish flu. A few hours later, Isobel and Matthew learned that Lavinia's condition has taken a turn for the worse, and sadly Lavinia dies of Spanish flu and she attended her funeral. Isobel attended Christmas and New Year celebrations at Downton with her son, Isobel and the Crawley family show their support for John Bates who was arrested for the murder of his first wife Vera Bates, she alongside the Crawley family and some of the Crawley staff, who truly believe that he was not a murderer. She attended Bates trial and supportive John's second wife Anna Bates, and Downton staff members who were call up to the stand during the trial. She initially opposed to Matthew's relationship with Lady Mary Crawley, after the death of his fiancée, she helps persuade him to propose to her again, which he does, and Mary happily accepts. She was one of the few who felt Sybil should return, with her husband, for Matthew and Mary's wedding. When Matthew announced he wanted Tom to be his best man, she happily applauded his decision. Though kind and sympathetic to Tom, she did not disagree with Violet when they insisted he dress the part for the wedding. Isobel found former Downton maid Ethel Parks had turned to prostitution after falling on hard times, and was kind enough to hire her despite the disapproval of others. Behind the scenes * Isobel Crawley, is played by actress Penelope Wilton, in Downton Abbey television series. References Crawley, Isobel Crawley, Isobel Crawley, Isobel